Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Dr Murks went on a walk in the evening. Like it often happens Dr Murks met a friend on his way and then another friend and then they went to a bub. They drank a beer in one bar, then they walked around a little and found another bar to drink beer in and in the end they happen to sit in Zavood and drink another beer. If you say "Zavood" to Russian speaking people they think it is a factory. If you say "Zavood" to people from Tartu they know it is a bar where you go in the end of every party or when the other bars are closed or when you feel like going to Zavood to meet nice people and have some improvised dance party. People who leave Tartu for some time will miss Zavood the most and when they come back they pass Zavood firstly and then go home - even if they carry big back bags. This is Zavood - a bar on the way to home. Nice and homey place where you can always find some familiar and friendly faces.And tonight, sitting by the counter drinking beer with two friends a guy just passed Dr Murks and whispered into Dr Murks ear: "You have beautiful smile." Dr Murks was surprised and couldn't answer nothing more than "Thank you!" This is the system for Estonian guys - first get drunk! It makes Dr Murks nervous. It is nice when people say you nice things but... some totally drunk stranger in Zavood!!! Not nice!

Friday, November 24, 2006

Dr Murks decided to go to the library. He had taken it into a plan already in the beginning of the week but time just passed away and now it was already Friday. No wonder about the time as he visited cafeterias and bubs the whole Wednesday, had hangover-and-sewing-a-"kaba"dress-to-mother-day on Thursday and... now it was already Friday. Last change to visit library this week and do some scientific work after two days spent with friends and fun.He woke up at 11 am. As Dr Murks went to sleep at 3 am last night (already 6th night like this in a row...), it was no surprise to wake up so late. He took a shower, drank the coffee, ate breakfast and at midday he managed to leave the house. He was kind a proud for himself as being so active this morning compared to last mornings before. But, but, but! He reached the library at 12.25 pm, the library was CLOSED. A sign on the door explained: "CLEANING DAY. Open from 3 pm to 9 pm." What can you say or do. "NICE, very NICE!" thought Dr Murks and quickly decided not to go home - there he would just find to many activities that keep him away from working. He decided to look around in town and as it was raining a little he decided to go on a bus. To take the bus, sit there, read something and look out from the window what the people are up to on the streets. So he did.Dr Murks sat happily in the bus. People with umbrellas were walking around, people without umbrellas were running toward the shelters. The bus got so full of people that Dr Murks decided to give the seat to an old woman and stood up. suddenly he noticed a small red bus by next bus stop, these were the ticket-controllers. Everybody should buy a ticket from a kiosk by the street or from bus-driver. You get a piece of paper and you have to punch the ticket in a special machine in the bus that makes pattern of holes in it, original only for this bus that you can't use it more than once.Hmmm. Dr Murks didn't have a ticket. He always "forgets" to buy one. Sometimes really forgets but quite often he just doesn't bother himself with the ticket. As he is not using public transportation so often, more walking to the places he needs to go, on these few times he hopes not to meet ticket-controllers. They are not so often on the buses. But sometimes it happens. Dr Murks had payed the fine twice in his life but he thought that the sum doesn't cover the tickets he never bought... "So, " he thought, "it is not pleasant that I have to pay. Specially because the controllers are looking at you as you were committed a big crime. But at the same time, it is my own fault that I don't have a ticket. To pay the fine is only fare."He was standing by the last door of bus but there was no possibility to sneak out course when bus stopped and controllers game in from the first door the driver didn't even open other doors. So, Dr Murks was standing there and already coping with this disappointed face the controller will make when he will say: " I don't have a ticket." But then... It is really possible only once in a lifetime! Dr Murks noticed something lying in the bottom of rubbish bin in front of him. It was a small piece of paper, it had the same measures as bus tickets and even had holes in it. Somebody had thrown it there before leaving the bus. Dr Murks had done the same the times he had bought the ticket - left it to some visible place in the bus that somebody could use who needs transportation but has some reason for not buying the ticket. And now somebody helped him! Dr Murks took it quickly and showed it to the controller. The holes where matching! Dr Murks smiled nicely to the controller and he replayed with a smile. Happy people!Before Dr Murks left the bus the ticket found his place in the pin again.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Dr Murks met him almost 2 years ago. He started to like him right away. He was a real life and soul of the party. He was also very handsome - He had white snowy skin and hear and he was 64km long - uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill... He had met him later once more, last winter and the meeting was a big success. . And later there was a need to go to sauna as the sportsman made his legs so week that only hot sauna couldn give him back his strength.Jep. Dr Murks arranged the meeting with him on the 18th of February 2007. It will last about 8 hours for Dr Murks. Dr Murks hopes to make it quicker as in the evening is already dark outside for going back home, but at the same time Dr Murks enjoys his company and don't want to leave early. Will see, will see. Now Dr Murks has to start training and look through if Mdm Skis is still feeling fine for using them on this marvelous Mr Marathon .

Monday, November 20, 2006

It started yesterday evening when Dr Murks went to eat some pizza at his neighbors. He had to make some steps on the street because neighbors lived some houses away and he felt a slap on his face. It was the sign from Mdm Rain. She didn't hit him hard at that moment, but somehow Dr Murks already knew that it will become long and continuous fight. After some hours Mr Mud will rise his head from the unpaved roads and come to help her. Yes, Mdm Rain is newer fighting alone. Always she finds ways to attract Mr Mud to help her. Together they are powerful, everybody will give in, stay in their houses and look out from the windows with their sad dog-eyes. If they try to struggle with this aristocratic tandem, they will end up with wet and muddy cloths they have to make try three hours by the hot kiln. Yesterday Dr Murks just ran quickly home after eating Mdm Kaivo delicious pizza, but today (on his way to library) he tried to conquer these two fighters.... BUT, as it had happened before with Dr Murks and fighting to somebody - Dr Murks had to surrender. At least he managed to rescue his notebook and two important books in his bag. They are still readable and managed to stay completely dry :) . For now the trousers are almost try but probable they will never forget the memorable battle on the roads of Soup town. Next time their exclamatory word will be: "HIDE!"

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Finally there is a time to find a place to sit and coffee. Moreover, there is a PLACE to sit and drink coffee. Yes, the place is crowded and coffee tastes bad, but a least people look stylish and music is not too loud - one can hear his own thoughts and even girls sitting by the neighboring table talking in some weird young peoples slang. This language lesson could become quite educative, but Dr Murks finds it difficult to concentrate as too many thoughts about last days are coming into his mind.Children, children, children... Happy children, sad children... Smiling children, crying children... Big children, small children... Playing children, noisy children, jumping children, sleeping children... Sisters children, brothers children, friends children... But not my children!"Children" is the keyword for last few days. Everywhere Dr Murks went to visit there were some children. Thy say: "Come and play with my tolls, Dr Murks!", "I want to jump with you, Dr Murks, and climb up to your shoulders!", "Come to play with cars and planes, Dr Murks!", "Dr Murks, you can play the horse and we are the horsemen!", "Dr Murks, come and see the Moon through grandfathers window!", "Dr Murks, turn the button course I am the morning-porridge cooling machine!" There are many children around and Dr Murks is too kind (or too shy) to say "No" to them. That is why Dr murks find herself often in the situations he would newer dreamed of. sometimes it is exhausting, but he has to admit that most often it just gives so much energy to carry on with everyday life. Just let the bird of inspiration fly!Dr Murks took the last sip of coffee, but the winter-cloths on and left his chair to the next visitor of Von Krahls Bub.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Dr Murks was walking along the street and examining people passing by. Suddenly something familiar appeared on an ordinary woman coming down from the street. Dr Murks was a bit confused. What was so familiar with her? "Mdm HAT!" screamed voice inside Dr Murks head. Of course, it was Mdm Hat Dr Murks had knitted already many years ago. He had sold it last yeaor on the market of Soup town to a woman who just had tried it on and looked so-so good under it, and Mdm Hat looked even better on her. Mdm Hat had really found her place that day, Dr Murks remembered how happy she was. Tha woman didn´t recognize him this time but Mdm Hat waved him and smiled. Dr Murks felt suddenly so happy.After this meeting Dr Murks decided that he has to find himself a place in this town too. How long can one live on the rucksack? He had done it already three months after he left the apartment at Poe street and went on his heroic trip. Now, after coming back, he had spent some time at his good friend Mdm Ann home but it was not really the kind of life he wanted. He needed a place to bring his stuff stuffed to relatives garage, he was already missing his books and cloths and vacuum-cleaner :)...So, he accepted the offer from Mdm Birks and went to live to Soup town by the river Emajõgi on a nice flat sharing it with Mdm Birks, Mdm Tsipe and Mr Nuum. Nice people, nice flat. And the most important - Mdm Hat lived somewhere nearby!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Dr Murks is hungry. Drinking only coffee in the morning doesn´t give much energy. He has been awake already two and an half hours but no food. Dr Murks remembered that there should be a white cupboard in the kitchen-corner that should include some food. He decided to go and find out if he remembered correctly.The way to the kitchen was not too difficult. In fact, the kitchen was only two meters from the desk where Dr Murks was working by. But Dr Murks didn´t like to rush after every idea he had in mind. He needed to think everything through very carefully. Now the decision was made.Yeah, there really was white cupboard in the kitchen, but when Dr Murks opened the door, cold air game out from it and pinched his nose. Dr Murks closed the door quickly. "Uhhh, this was close!" The worse thing was that he managed to see that the white cupboard really included some food - a bag of carrots, written on "Kadarbiku talu", Estonian carrots. Dr Murks really liked carrots and now was the problem, how to get carrots out from the freezing cupboard and not getting flue. Dr Murks didn´t have to think much, he went to the pile of cloths and jerseys he had next to the working-desk and but all the worm cloths on he managed to find. The most important were the cloves, for not freezing his hands. And now he was ready to visit North Pole by hook or by cook!Nothing very scary or impressive happened now as he opened the door of white cupboard. He rescued the carrots and found even an onion to join carrots in the pot. And there they went: boiling to the pot!Dr Murks checked boiling carrots after every 2 minutes. He was so eager to taste them that he almost burned his fingers. But do not worry, I said "almost" not for real. The carrots got ready. Hmmm, they were good. Dr Murks ate and continued his interrupted business. The start of the day was good.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

"Today I will start working," decided Dr Murks and opened his notebook. He wrote down the question: "What has to be done?" Hmmmmmmmm.Following list was made:+ call to Mdm Kusta and ask about her health+ write to Mdm Lepper about the environmental teachers conference that took place yesterday,+ write to Mdm Gosia and ask if she needs something else to be sent to Chile besides her birthday-surprise,+ meet with Mr Martin and find out if he is willing to find some foundation to one superb book that Dr Murks was working on during last three months,

+ think up a plan for next 4 years...This last statement made Dr Murks feeling tired. This was really the reason why he has been spending whole morning doing nothing. "How can one make a plan for next 4 years?" was still unanswered question Dr Murks had been thinking about whole morning. 4 years is long period and during this time can happen many things that one can not plan. But bureaucracy is not leaving anybody alone. He has to obey... And at the same time he understood that there should be something written for university-workers to follow up if he is still doing his research work updated or not.Horrible! Anyway, his is decision was. No sleep before the plan is but down! But first things first, lets go to meet some people, people to talk to and have nice time with. Enough of sitting at home with thoughts. First Mr Martin needs to be visited!